Shastri believes current lot of Indian players have it in them to turn things around in South Africa.

Winning Test matches outside the sub-continent has always been one heck of a task for the Indian teams over the years, but chief coach Ravi Shastri believes that current crop of Indian players have it in them to turn things around in their all-important tour to South Africa next month.

"If South Africa tour happens to be tough for our batsmen, our job will be to make it tougher for their batsmen," Shastri told reporters ahead of team's departure from Mumbai on Wednesday (December 27).

With 1-0 series win against Sri Lanka, Team India very recently registered their 9th consecutive Test series victories and with that Kohli equalled Australia’s legendary skipper Ricky Ponting’s feat of most consecutive Test series wins as a captain. India now have a chance to make 10 in a row, however, what sounds difficult is – no Indian side has ever won a Test series on the South African soil.

"The fact is that players have been together for 4-5 years. That experience will stand them in good stead. Conditions will be tough. The next one-and-a-half years will define the Indian cricket," Shastri asserted.

The 55-year-old India head coach also lauded the limited-overs specialist pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who very recently received his maiden call-up in the Test team for the tour of South Africa.

"I think Bumrah is very exciting. He has shown how good he is in ODIs and T20Is. He has shown he's one of the best in the world and has been acknowledged by opponents. I think his confidence level is high and it is a good time to get him in," Shastri remarked.

India will face South Africa in three-match Test series from January 5 at Newlands, Cape Town. The series will be followed by six ODIs and three T20Is.